MSC.402(96) - Instruction by Flag Administrations

From 1 January 2020, maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of the following items shall be carried out in accordance with the IMO Resolution MSC.402(96).

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  • Lifeboats (including free-fall lifeboats), rescue boats and fast rescue boats
  • Launching appliances as well as on-load and off-load release gears for lifeboats (including primary and secondary means of launching appliances for free-fall lifeboats), rescue boats, fast rescue boats and davit-launched life rafts

In accordance with this IMO Resolution, maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of the above items shall be carried out by service providers authorized by flag administrations of vessels. (MSC.402(96) ANNEX 2.2.1& 3.1)

On the other hand, flag administrations may accept or recognize service providers authorized by the other flag administrations or approved by their Recognized Organizations including ClassNK. (MSC.402(96) ANNEX 7.4.3) The scope of the Recognized Organization differs by the flag administration and the other flag administrations should be contracting parties to the SOLAS Convention.

From 1 January 2020, please be aware that service providers which are satisfied with requirements of each flag administration are to be arranged for annual/five yearly maintenance, etc. required by SOLAS and the Rules for Safety Equipment.

Following list shows outcomes of inquiry whether the flag administrations accept or recognize service providers approved by ClassNK as service providers authorized by them. In case where your vessels’ flag administrations are not shown in this list or manufacturers themselves act as service providers for their own original products (unless there are specific instructions by the flag administrations), please contact our below department.

NIPPON KAIJI KYOKAI (ClassNK)
Survey Department, Administration Center, Head Office

Address: 3-3 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0094, Japan
Tel.: +81-3-5226-2027
Fax: +81-3-5226-2029
email: svd@classnk.or.jp
 
Flag Administration Acceptance of service providers approved by ClassNK(*) Remarks
Antigua and Barbuda Accept
Australia Accept
  • Service Providers approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
Bahamas NOT Accept
Bangladesh Accept
  • Service Providers approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
  • Approved service providers need to apply to the administration.
Barbados -(See Remarks)
  • See Bulletin 041
  • Authorization by the Administration is required.
Belize -(See Remarks)
Belgium Accept
  • See BMI Circular 2020/001/Rev.1
  • Service Providers approved by other EU administration or by other classification societies(ABS, BV, DNV, LR, RINA) are also acceptable
Bermuda Accept
British Virgin Islands Accept  
Canada Accept
Chile Accept
  • Service Providers authorized by other Maritime Administrations or approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
Cayman Islands Accept
Cyprus Accept
Cook Islands Accept
  • See Circular 212 / 2019
  • Service Providers authorized by other Administrations or approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
Denmark Accept
  • See DMA Circular no. 28
  • Service Providers authorized by other Maritime Administrations or approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
Dominica Accept  
Finland Accept
  • Service Providers authorized by other Administrations or approved by other ROs are also acceptable outside Finland.(Service Providers located in Finland are to be authorized by the Administration)
Georgia Accept
  • See No.32/CIRC/FSI
  • Service Providers authorized by other Administrations or approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
Gibraltar Accept
Greece NOT Accept
Hong Kong, China Accept
  • Service Providers approved by other classification societies (ABS, BV, CCS, DNV-GL, LR, KR, RINA, RS) are also acceptable.
India Accept (See Remarks)
Isle of Man Accept
Japan Accept
Kiribati Accept  
Kuwait Accept
Lebanon Accept
  • Service Providers approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
Liberia -(See Remarks)
Luxembourg Accept
  • Service Providers approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
Malaysia Accept  
Malta Accept
  • See Technical Notice SLS.2 Rev.2
  • Service Providers approved by other ROs(ABS, BV, CCS, CRS, DNV-GL, IRS, KR, LR, PRS, RINA, RS) are also acceptable.
Marshall Islands Accept
Myanmar Accept
  • Service Providers authorized by other Administrations or approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
Netherlands Accept
  • See ItoRO no.09
  • Service Providers approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
New Zealand Accept  
Niue Accept  
Norway Accept
  • Service Providers authorized by other Administrations on the Paris MOU white list or approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
  • See Rundskriv 10-2019 (Original Only)
Oman Accept
  • Service Providers approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
Palau Accept
Panama NOT Accept
Philippines Accept
  • Service Providers approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
Portugal – Madeira (MAR) Accept
  • See DGRM Circular N.62
  • Service Providers approved by other EU administrations or by RO with signed agreement with DGRM are also acceptable.
Singapore Accept
St. Kitts and Nevis Accept
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Accept
  • See No. SOL 012
  • Service Providers authorized by other Administrations or approved by other ROs are also acceptable.
Switzerland Accept  
Thailand Accept
Türkiye NOT Accept  
UK Accept
Vanuatu Accept

(*)
 Accept:Service Providers approved by ClassNK are acceptable as service providers authorized by the flag administration
 NOT Accept:Service Providers approved by ClassNK are NOT acceptable as service providers authorized by the flag administration